


pretty smile

by getthisoff



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Fluff and Angst, Gay Male Character, Gen, Liam is smarter than the average 10 year old, Like really smart, Racial slurs, Suicidal Thoughts, Zayn-centric, brief homophobic language, horror movies, one direction - Freeform, overprotective!Liam, sad!zayn, stepbrothers!ziam, young!Liam
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-22
Updated: 2013-11-22
Packaged: 2018-01-02 08:17:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1054557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/getthisoff/pseuds/getthisoff
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zayn is sad, and Liam, though he can't stand being alone, doesn't like that. Not one bit.</p><p>or</p><p>10 year old Liam has a nightmare and its up to his new, older step brother, 16 year old<br/>Zayn, to take care of him. But Liam's too smart for that, and the tables are turned. Zayn<br/>feels like its an intervention. Oops.</p>
            </blockquote>





	pretty smile

**Author's Note:**

> What started as a thought in the shower escalated into, well, this. I present to you my first  
> ever one shot.

 

 

_"Funny, you're the broken one but I'm the only one who needed saving "_

 

* * *

 

"Zaaaaaaaayn, can't we watch something else? Pleaseeee?" Liam begged with his young raspy voice, puppy-like eyes staring up at the older boy. Pulling him in. Like a vortex. Liam was a blackhole.

 

Zayn has weird thoughts.

 

Zayn rolled his eyes in annoyance, "God, Liam, for the millionth time, if you don't wanna watch it, then don't! Jesus, no one's stopping you!"

 

"But- but- _Zaaaaaaaayn,_ I don't wanna be alone upstairs!"

 

Zayn sighed for what felt like the billionth time in the span of an hour. "Look, Liam. You gotta choice, either watch this with me or go up and stay there 'till mum and dad get back tomorrow. _Alright_?"

 

Liam huffed, his wide, brown eyes darting between the television set playing the opening credits to _Insidious_ and the flight of stairs. His jaw set as he came to a reluctant decision. 

 

"Fine," Liam began, ".. I'll stay here and watch. I don't wanna be upstairs alone. I'll be bored..."

 

Zayn scoffed. "Sure. Whatever. Wuss."

 

"Hey! No, I'm not-"

 

Zayn shushed Liam, interrupting his protests. " _Shut up_ , will you? It's already started!"

 

Liam sighed, drug his feet and planted himself on the far end of the couch, a million proverbial miles away from Zayn. He brought his short legs up to his chest, his thick eyebrows furrowed. Zayn rolled his eyes, frowned, and concentrated on the show playing.

 

 

* * *

 

It was an hour to midnight and the pair were done with the film. After the 15 minute mark, Liam had practically glued himself to Zayn's side, the smaller boy a whimpering mess. Naturally, Zayn's face remained an emotionless mask, save for that one time he cringed when Liam screamed.

 

"Oi, Liam. It's over. Liam." Zayn began shaking Liam's shoulders. Liam looked up, eyes brimming with tears. The younger boy huffed and pouted. _God, he's adorable._

 

"That was a terrible movie. Why did we have to watch it? Now I'm gonna have nightmares!" Liam complained.

 

"Oh boohoo. Suck it up, tough guy. Nightmare's are unavoidable." Zayn replied Liam. His voice grew softer as he continued. "… I should know.."

 

Liam tilted his head and stared at his step-brother with an understanding glint in his eyes that most kids his age didn't posses; _shouldn't posses_. But Liam wasn't a normal ten year old. Anyone who's talked to him would know that. Zayn sure knew it when he first laid eyes on nine year old Liam nearly a whole year ago. 

 

Their parents (Liam's dad, Zayn's mum) had been going steady for about seven months and had decided to introduce their kids to each other. Liam had grown an instant hero worship to Zayn, and Zayn thought Liam was pretty OK for a nine year old, seeing as Zayn hated most children. Hated how naive and bubbly were. _Ridiculous_ , he'd think to himself.

 

_(( He couldn't know, could he? Surely he doesn't understand me. He's only ten. Everything's easier when you're ten. Why is he looking at me like that? ))_

 

Zayn shook his head. _No. No way._

 

"It's late, Liam. Get to bed. Mum and dad'll kill me if they find out I let you stay up this late on a school night."

 

Liam jumped up from his spot on the couch and ran up the stairs and towards bathroom to brush his teeth, mumbling a quick "Goodnight, Zayn," on the way.

 

Zayn rubbed his face, releasing an exhausted sigh. He turned the television off, leaving him in darkness. _Nothing new there._

 

_Just one more week, Zayn._

 

* * *

 

"Zayn."

"Zaaaaayn."

 _"Zaaaaayn._ "

"Zayn, please wake up."

"Zayn, _please_."

 

Zayn groaned as he felt himself being shaken and begged awake. He glanced at the digital alarm clock on his bedside table and groaned again, even louder. He looked up at Liam's small form, illuminated by the glow of the street lamps outside. 

 

"For God's sake Liam, it's two thirty in the damn morning. What the _hell_ do you want?" Zayn demanded, his voice raspy and rough from sleep. 

 

 Liam whimpered and his tear stained cheeks became apparent to his older brother. Zayn sat up and scratched the back of his neck.

 

Zayn sighed and took Liam by his tiny waist, letting the younger boy sit on his bed as he ran his large hand through Liam's buzzcut.  

 

"Hey. Hey, stop crying mate. Liam, stop crying. Its okay, baby. It's okay. I'm here alright? Stop crying," Zayn cooed as he held on to Liam.

 

When his body finally stopped shaking with sobs, Zayn sighed in relief. He thought it would never end. He couldn't stand seeing Liam's usually happy face so  _sad._

 

"Why were you crying, Li?" Zayn asked as he patted Liams back somewhat awkwardly. He's never been good with comforting people. Heck, he could barely comfort himself. But there was something in Liam that urged Zayn to protect him. Maybe it was the puppy face, or the big brown eyes. Or maybe it was because Liam genuinely loved Zayn, despite his flaws and terrible behaviour. And somewhere deep inside him, Zayn felt the same way for his new little brother.

 

Liam shook his head stubbornly, sniffing  as he rubbed his eyes with the end of his pyjama sleeve. 

 

"Liam, was it a bad dream?"

 

Zayn watched Liam's body language intently. He noticed how Liam's body froze before the younger boy heaved a heavy sigh and nodded slowly, as if his head were full of lead and his body slowly deflating. 

 

 _I know the feeling_ , Zayn thought to himself.

 

"Zayn.."

 

Zayn's eyes shot up to meet Liam's, his bruised heart cracking at the sound of Liam's forlorn voice.

 

"Can I- can I please sleep with you tonight? _Please_?"

"Liam I-"

"Zayn, _please!_ I'm- I'm scared…" 

 

Liam looked ready to burst into tears again as he begged his step brother. 

 

"Please…" 

 

Zayn sighed. 

 

"Fine. _Fine_. Get in here. Just don't wet the bed or I swear to God-"

"I won't! I promise! I stopped doing that three years ago!"

 

Zayn scoffed. "Okay then."

 

Zayn turned around to his side as Liam got in the bed.

 

Just as Zayn was beginning to slip into sleep induced darkness, Liam's timid voice broke through the barrier. 

 

"Zayn, can I, uh, ask you a question?"

 

Zayn sighed. _This is going to be a long night._

 

"You just did, little man."

"Right. Uh. Well. I don't know how to ask this."

"Just spit it out, Liam."

 

Liam paused for a good minute and Zayn rolled his eyes. He was about to fall back to asleep when Liam's voice interrupted him again.

 

"Zayn, what are you counting down to?"

 

Zayn's body stiffened in shock, eyes shooting open. He was expecting any question. It could've been about their parents, girls, heck Zayn was even expecting Liam to ask why his boy parts were growing, but out of all the possible questions, Zayn did not expect Liam to ask him _that_. 

 

 Zayn slowly sat up, leaning his back against the head board as he stared at Liam with wide eyes, "What are you talking about, Liam."

 

Liam sat up as well, his head barely reaching past the frame of the head board. 

 

"You're counting down to something, aren't you? Like, I saw you three weeks ago. You were- uh, you were mumblin' and stuff. And I saw, like, all the red X's and the date circled on your wall calendar when you was helping me with homework... And i just- I just wanted to know, but like, I get if you don't want to talk about it.." Liam trailed off as he stared down at his tiny hands absentmindedly.

 

Zayn said nothing. He simply stared straight ahead, his eyes wide. He felt the burn of Liam's stare on his face, the younger boy measuring Zayn's reactions. He didn't think _anyone_ would've _noticed_. And of all people, he didn't expect his ten year old step brother to notice. _He didn't expect anyone to notice._

 

"You told me that the nightmares are unavoidable, Zayn. Is that why you're counting down Zayn? Are you going to make them stop?"

 

Zayn turned to stare at Liam, eyes even wider in shock. _Was this kid actually ten? How? How howhowhowhow._

 

Zayn nodded minutely. If Liam hadn't been watching him so intently, he surely would've missed it.

 

"You're counting down to the day you want to, uh, off yourself. Aren't you?"

 

Zayn gasped and stared at Liam. Liam stared back, his young, innocent eyes alight with this new found revelation.

 

"I'm right, aren't I? Zayn?"

 

_((Yes, Liam. Yesyesyes you're right and fuck fuckfuck I'm freaking out right now please don't tell anyone please.))_

 

Again, Zayn merely acknowledged Liam's question with a small nod. Liam didn't hesitate to throw another question at him.

 

"Why?"

 

Zayn sighed. _There we go.  
_

 

 _((Because I've never been enough. Because every damn day for the past two and a half years since I came out of the closet have been nothing but absolute torture and I no longer have the strength nor the will to go on. I hate life and I have no hope and I have no one and I want to die I want to die I want to die_ I want to kill myself _.))_

 

"Because I'm sad, Li."

"Why are you sad?"

"Because people won't let me love who I want to love Liam. People give me a tough time. Because I'm dirty. Imperfect. I have no one, and no one likes me."

 

Liam looked like Zayn had just told the kid that Santa was screwing his mum.

 

And then Liam looked furious. 

 

"What! But- but that's not fair, Zayn! Everyone should be allowed to love whoever they want! Love is free, and it should be like, shared and stuff! And- and you are _not_ any of those things! You're a good person- no, the _best_ person. You take care of me, you love mum even though she isn't yours, you let me sleep in your bed- a bad person wouldn't do that Zayn!

 

You are a good person, Zayn, I like you. Wait, no- I l _ove_ you! You're my brother, Zayn. My _brother._ You shouldn't think no one loves you. I know a brother love and a love-love isn't the same, but one day the right person will come and love you more than I do and until you're old like mum and dad. Please believe me Zayn. _Please,_ " Liam ranted with a red face, his young voice fumbling over large words, his vocal chords straining as he grew louder and louder.

 

Zayn was in awe. He was shocked. He didn't expect that to come from someone like Liam. In fact, he never expected _any_ of this to happen.

 

"I-I-"

"Zayn."

 

Zayn looked into the eyes of his younger brother, his tears streaming down his cheeks so fast he could hardly be bothered to cover it up anymore. Liam took the edge of his sleeve and wiped Zayn's tears away, sending the older boy a small smile. 

 

Liam reached over and sat in Zayn's lap, wrapping his small arms around Zayn's torso, his head buried in Zayn's chest. 

 

"Please stop hurting yourself, Zaynie. Please don't be sad. _Please_ , for me."  

 

Zayn nodded slowly, processing Liam's words, though he knew Liam couldn't see him. 

 

Liam looked up and smiled so bright that Zayn thought his face was going to split in half.

 

"Will you stop counting down now, Zayn?"

 

Zayn gulped. _Could he? Could he stop something he'd been planning for so long._

 

_The answer was yes. Yes he could. Because despite how terrible life is, he isn't ready to go. He never was. All this time he was just hoping. Hoping someone would come around and give him a reason to stay. That someone was Liam. Little Liam who didn't know the difference between France and Germany._

_Liam was his hope._

 

"Y-Yeah, Li. I'll stop. For you. I promise."

 

Liam's smile grew wider and Zayn was smiling a real wide smile too, the feeling foreign to him. _Baby steps_ , Zayn thought to himself. 

 

"And will you stop being sad, Zayn?"

 

"I- I can't promise you that Liam. It can't just happen over night. This kind of.... sadness,  doesn't just disappear. But it will eventually. I'll work on it. I promise you that I will _try_."

 

"That's good enough, Zayn," Liam yawned and his eyes began to droop.

 

"Get to sleep bud. I'll still be here in the morning. I promise you."

 

Liam got under the covers next to Zayn and cuddled into his chest.

 

Liam was asleep as soon as he finished his own sentence, and that didn't matter because even hours after they both had fallen asleep, Zayn was content.  His parents shared a smile when they found their sons in bed, cuddled together with light snores and peaceful smiles. Even weeks and months after that night, Zayn continued to be strong for Liam. Even if he was still hurting sometimes. Even when the people at school still called him _queer_ and _faggot_ and asked him _what the fuck are you smiling for you weird paki_ , he stayed strong because Liam was his reason. 

 

The morning after that night, when Zayn was getting ready for school, Zayn had walked to his calendar hanging on the wall and tore it down, stopping the countdown just as he had promised. He thought of the night before and remembered something Liam had mumble last night before falling asleep, the memory putting a brilliant smile on his face.

 

_Thank you, Liam. Thank you so much._

* * *

 

_"Hey Zayn?"_

_"Yeah, Li?"_

_"You have a pretty smile."_

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! your feedback is much appreciated! you can find me on [tumblr](http://styleslmao.tumblr.com/) and [twitter](https://twitter.com/afroniall).
> 
> xx


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